How to get there
Where is Moiwa Ski Resort?
Moiwa, aka Niseko Moiwa, is a 2 hour drive southwest of
Sapporo Hokkaido and 2 hours west of the New-Chitose International Airport. Moiwa is just a 3 minute drive from the Annupuri ski area which is part of Niseko United, and a 10 minute drive from Hirafu (11km), the main heartbeat of
Niseko. The town of Niseko is only a 5-10 minute drive from Moiwa.
The villages of Moiwa, Annupuri and Konbu Onsen are somewhat merged. See the
Niseko village map to get a perspective of how the different Niseko areas related to each other. Also see the
getting to Niseko page for more information on the location of Niseko and how to get around.
Flights to Sapporo
The Sapporo New Chitose International Airport is the main gateway for
Niseko and
Moiwa. See our
travel to Hokkaido page for information on flying into Sapporo or getting there via train from Tokyo.
Shuttle Bus from Sapporo to Moiwa
There are shuttle bus services from the New Chitose Airport to Moiwa and Niseko with
Hokkaido Resort Liner. If you’re staying in the Moiwa village choose the Hotel Kanro-no-mori in Konbu Onsen as your drop off point. Alternatively there are drop off points in the villages of Annupuri, Higashiyama (Niseko Village), and Hirafu.
Hokkaido Resort Liner also offers shuttle bus transport from the city of Sapporo (the Odori bus centre as well as various Sapporo hotels).
Getting to Moiwa from Sapporo by Train
Niseko station is the closest train station to Moiwa (as opposed to Kutchan station which is the closest to Hirafu). The train from Sapporo (JR) to Niseko goes via Otaru and takes anywhere from 1.5 hours to almost 3 hours depending on connections and whether it’s an express train. See
Hyperdia for train schedules and fares.
You can also catch the train from the New Chitose Airport to Sapporo JR Station and then onto Niseko.
There is a bus service from the Niseko train station, or catch a taxi (5-10 minute ride) straight to the door of your Moiwa accommodation.
Getting Between Hirafu and Moiwa
If you don’t have your own wheels you can catch a free shuttle bus between Hirafu (next to the Seicomart) and the Moiwa ski resort car park. These shuttles operate on the half hour from 8am from Hirafu and 8:30am from Moiwa, and there are shuttles from Moiwa back to Hirafu in the afternoons at 2pm, 3pm and 4:30pm. You can also catch a taxi between the two areas.
It’s also possible to ski between Moiwa and
Niseko. From the top of the quad chair at Moiwa walk up about 100 metres and head through the backcountry gate #6. From there you can drop into the Annupuri ski area. Getting from Moiwa to Niseko United is really only for experienced riders who are kitted out with avo gear, and it’s probably not wise to try this for the first time on a white-out day. Be aware that gate #6 is closed after 3pm and on days when there is considerable avalanche risk.
Other Ski Resorts Nearby
Other nearby ski resorts include Chisenupuri, Rusutsu, Weiss, Iwanai and Kiroro.
Chisenupuri (sometimes spelled as Chisennupuri or Chise for short) is a little gem of a ski hill that is still a secret (well sort of!). Chisenupuri is the next ski area over from Moiwa. If you don’t have your own wheels, catch a taxi, or
Black Diamond Tours do ski tours at Chisenupuri.
Rusutsu is fantastic for powderhounds and another good opportunity to get away from the crowds of Niseko. Rusutsu is about a 20 minute drive away.
Black Diamond Tours offer a Rusutsu transport service with accommodation pick-ups for only ¥8,000 (includes a lift ticket).
Iwanai and Weiss are now just used for cat skiing.
Kiroro is about an hour away by car.